Electrical connectors are known in which an electrical terminal is retained within a dielectric housing and is adapted for termination to an end of a conductor wire inserted through an aperture of the housing. Examples of such connectors are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,637,675; 4,705,340; 4,795,364; 5,006,077; 5,120,245; and in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 07/708,405 filed May 31, 1991; 07/773,069 filed Oct. 7, 1991; 07/863,626 filed Apr. 3, 1992. Examples of products are disclosed in AMP Catalog No. 82257 entitled "AMP Quiet Front Terminal Block" dated September 1991.
Generally, such connectors disclose a multiterminal housing block having individual cylindrical housing sections each containing a barrel-shaped terminal having an aperture through a side wall for receipt of an insulated wire end aligned with a wire-receiving aperture through the housing wall, and a slot extending laterally from the aperture defined by metal edges spaced closely enough to slice into and thereby penetrate the insulative jacket of the wire upon rotation of the terminal within the housing section and slightly compressively engage the conductor wire therewithin, defining a termination. An actuator secured atop each housing section is rotatable to turn the barrel terminal upon insertion of the wire end thereinto. Commonly, such connectors can utilize a two-apertured terminal and corresponding housing section defining two such wire-receiving arrangements for receipt of two wire ends thereinto for respective terminations, and can be used to cross-connect the wires to each other as in Ser. No. 07/708,405, or to a third conductor also electrically connected to the terminal, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,245.
The housing sections of such connectors preferably contain a sealant composition such as grease or synthetic gel-like compositions which coat the exposed metal surfaces to prevent moisture and air from causing corrosion, preserving the integrity of the electrical connection for long-term in-service use. In U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 07/749,373 filed Aug. 23, 1991 and 07/878,807 filed May 5, 1992 there are disclosed electrical connectors which contain novel sealant compositions having a gel-like consistency. The sealant compositions are disclosed to conform and coat the otherwise exposed metal surfaces of the wire conductor and the terminal and thus seal the surfaces against corrosion. The unstripped ends of wires may be inserted into the respective apertures for termination, easily penetrating the sealant material to be seated in the apertures of the barrel terminals; the terminals are then easily rotated by the actuator to penetrate the insulation and establish an electrical connection with the wires. The sealant material embeds and coats all exposed metal within the housing to inhibit corrosion, maintaining protection of the termination for long in-service life.
From time to time repairs to such terminations may be necessary, such as where a wire has been damaged at a location remote from the termination. The damaged wire must be removed from the termination, by rotating the terminal to an open position and pulling the wire end from the connector. In such cases some amount of sealant material would remain adhered to the wire end and be somewhat messy. This would also diminish the amount of sealant material remaining in the connector, and for reuse of the connector a corresponding amount of material would have to be reinjected into the connector around the terminal to again assure sealing when a new wire end is reinserted to reestablish the termination.
Certain connectors such as those disclosed in Ser. Nos. 07/749,373 and 07/878,807 include tape elements are positioned onto the outer surface of the housing and covering the wire-receiving apertures of the housing sections, with holes or intersecting slots defined in the tape approximately aligned with the centers of the apertures. Such tape elements to a substantial degree retain the sealant material within the housing and are adapted to permit wire insertion.
It is known with some conventional sealant materials which are two-part compositions, for the two fluid parts of the sealant material to be thoroughly mixed just prior to injection into the connector housing, and thereafter curing after injection; conventionally, a continuous film or tape such as of cellophane has been used to close off the apertures of the housing at least until the fluid has cured, whereafter the substrate may be removed for entry of the wire ends through the housing apertures, or alternatively the substrate may be slit at the apertures for wires to be inserted therethrough.
It is desired to provide a sealant-retaining tape element which assures that all sealant material remains in the housing upon removal of a wire end during repair after initial termination.